Venetian blind



31,1946.' A. NIH'QN 2,413,464

VENETIAN yBLIND Filed March 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y 7% /v c? Dec. 3l, 1946. A. NlHoN 2,413,464l

VENETIAN BLIND Filed March 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Attorneys y Pstenied'nec. 31, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND Alexis Nihon, Dorval, Quebec, Canada Application March 27, 1944, Serial No. 528,217

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to blinds and, more particularly, to glass Venetian blinds.

The primary object ofthe invention resides in the provision of a Venetian blind having improved light-transmitting properties and of highly decorative character.

Another important object resides in the provision of a Venetian blind which, gathering less dust, could be kept spotless for longer periods of time and be such as to be easily cleaned and unaffected by water and detergents.

Still another object is the provision of a blind of the character described, having means for removing and installing all, or individual, slats, rapidly and without disturbing the remaining slats or blades.

A still further object. concerns a Venetian blind of the type defined, which can be assembled relatively inexpensively and simply out of easily procurable materials.

An additional object contemplates a Venetian blind adapted to close tight and thus act as an insulator against convection heat losses.

A further additional object resides in the provision of a Venetian blind having light-diffusing and reflecting properties to act as an insulator against heat radiations.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent, or be further pointed out, during the description to follow.

In order to meet the objects enumerated above, the material to be chosen for the slats had to have specific properties of hardness, stiffness,

l transparency and heat insulation, such as are possessed only by glass.

The cost and other difficulties inherent to this material were a drawback, until it occurred to the inventor that the scrap glass, cut from the edges of sheets drawn in the Fourcault machines, known as bulb edge glass, would be ideally suited for the purpose in view. Notwithstanding the fact that said single thickness glass is thrown away, and is therefore obtainable cheaply, its other characteristics render it adaptable to use in Venetian blinds according to the invention.

The use of said bulb-edge glass renders possible the useful reclaiming of hundreds of thousands of feet of narrow, single-thickness glass thrown away by glass makers daily throughout the world. As is well known, said bulb-edge or bead is automatically produced on the glass sheets drawn in the Fourcault machines; said edge must be removed from the sheets, because it is harder and with non-parallel faces. Except for some limited use as shelving, in the multiple thicknesses, the

2 cut edges were of no commercial value and presented a proble of disposal to the glass maker.

As an example, and for purposes cf illustration only, two possible forms of the invention are shown in the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a Venetian blind constructed according to the invention and constituting the first and preferred form,

Figure 2 is a fractional perspective view of a glass slat, or blade, according to the invention,

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but show ing the glass slats in closely contacting position as when said slats are inclined when the blind is closed,

Figure 5 is a perspective Aview of a Slat-retaining clip shown in Figure l,

Figure 6 is a fractional plan view showing the construction of said clip, l

Figure 7 is a transverse section of the clip taken on line 7 1 of Figure 5,

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken through the second form of the invention,

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9--9 of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line lll-l0 of Figure 9,

Figure 11 is a perspective View of the clip used in the form of Figure 8 and shown therein as well as in Figure 10, and

Figure 12 is a transverse section of the clip taken on line |2-l2 of Figure 11.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar ref-'- erence characters represent corresponding parts throughout, the letter A designates generally the type of slat preferably employed according to the present invention and constituted, as previously stated, of the bulb-edge or bead 40 cut from glass drawn in the Fourc'ault machines. Said slats, after being cut to length and suitable width, are treated in an acid etching bath to give the sarne a nely ground or frosted surface. The purpose of this treatment is to render the slats translucid so that light may lter through when the blind is closed, but afford the necessary privacy to the user of the blind. Furthermore, the etching treatment has for a result to take off the sharp edges from the slats and render the same available for immediate use after frosting.

The mechanism for operating a' Venetian blind according to the invention may be constituted of substantially the same elements as are used for conventional blinds having Wooden or fibre slats. The usual suspension means may be employed,

which consist of vertical parallel tapes "T" joined together at regular intervals by horizontal cross-tapes C adapted to bear the weight of the slats. Normally, said tapes are secured to an oscillating bar concealed within a header-box B," said bar being actuated by a suitable mechanism operated by the manipulation of the drop cord "D (see Figure 1). Thus, as is well known, the slats may be inclined at will to control the light admitted and the visibility through the blind.

Inasmuch as an object of the invention is the easy removal of individual blades, said blades A are not apertured as is usual to permit the paspresent some diiliculties and reduce its ilexibility as well as weaken its resistance to breakage, the arrangement described above facilitates the cleaning of the slats since no interfering cord exists and, besides, permits the easy removal of individual members for replacement purposes due to breakage or anyV other reason.

The clip shown in Figure l and generally indicated by the reference character I5, may consist of a strip of springy material folded lengthwise to form parallel spaced jaws I6 and I'I respectively. The jaw Il is-slitted transversely at I8, from the outer edge to a position near the back edge I9 of said clip. The purpose of said slit is to facilitate the insertion of the clip on the end of the glass slats which, as shown in Figure 2, are of unequal cross-section (see Figures 3 and 4). formed as an extension of the back edge I9, in a plane substantially that of the jaw I6, said lug being cut in the jaw I6 and bent back 180 from said jaw, as shown in Figure 7. Consequently, the lug 20 being apertured at 2l, the draw-cord "E can be passed through said aperture 2I which, being in line with the central axis of the slat, allows inclination thereof without interference with said cord. Furthermore, as previously stated, the draw-cord E threaded through the aperture 2l of the clip I5 effectively prevents sliding motion of the individual slats which, as a result, are retained perfectly in line.

Under conditions of use or situation where the end clip I5 of the blind would be objectionable, a` modified form of the invention can be used instead, which is shown'in Figures 8 to 12 and which includes also a special pulley arrangement for facilitating the raising of the blind. This modified' form of the invention includes also a clip to secure the slat against sliding movement, said clip, however, engaging the slat on the bulbous edge behind the tape used for supporting said slat. This clip is shown in Figure 11 and is substantially the same as the clip I5 already As in clip Il, the lug 29 is apertured at 3B and furthermore provided with a very small eyelet formed at the extreme edge or apex of said lug.

A Venetian blind constructed according to this modified form and including the clip just described is shown in Figures 8 and 10 wherein the conventional elements already defined will be found, such as: the header-box B," the suspension tape T and cross Slat-supporting tapes. It will be noted, however, that the supporting tapes of this modied form, as shown in Figure 9, consists of spaced narrow tapes instead of the usual full-width tape generally used. Said narrow tapes N are spaced from each other in order to provide an inner channel F therebetween for the passage of draw-cord G between said narrow tapes and in the aperture 30 of the lug 29 formed on clip 25. Therefore, the clip as well as the draw-cord, are at least partially hidden from View by the tapes 'I" when, as stated before, it is not convenient, practicalor desired to have the clip on the outer end of the slats as in Figure 1.

As a further precaution against longitudinal sliding movement of the slats, the eyelet 3|, provided on the lug 29, may be stitched to the front tapes T," as shown in Figures 9 and 10. Thus, the clip being secured to the tape, said clip effectively prevents movement of the slats and further assists in the proper positioning thereof when it is desired to tilt the same away from their horizontal position.

Due to the increased weight of glass slats as compared with wooden ones, an arrangement is shown in Figure 8 for facilitating the raising of the blind, or the folding thereof, when it is desired to dispense therewith. The draw-cord E is not secured at its free end to the lower bar of the blind, as is usual, but instead is attached at one end to the header-box B, the downward reach of this cord being passed behind the back tapes C and trained over the rollers 35 underneath .the lower bar L of the blind, said cord extending upwardly thereafter through the aperture 30 of the lug 29 behind the front tape T until it reaches the header-box B where it is passed over a second pulley 36 shown in dotted lines in Figure 8. The end 31 of said cord hangs downwardly in the usual manner, According to the well-known physical principle of the double pulley, the arrangement just described permits 'the raising of the blind with half the effort thatwould have to be expended otherwise.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be evident that the present invention isv an advance of the art of Venetian blinds in that, according to said invention, it is possible to obtain lighting effects not obtainable otherwise, secure advantages of stability against deterioration by the elements, water and detergents, and permit the removal or replacement of individual slats without disturbing the blind as a whole.

More particularly, the translucid qualities of the glass slats permit the utilization of a maximum of day-light, while affording complete privacy whenever artificial inside lighting is desired in addition. Again, light being a good heat insulator, the closed slats constitute, when tightly closed, a glass wall which in front of a window, imprison a layer of air providing'additional insulation against convection heat losses. And, glass being a good reflector, the radiant heat energy emanating from the sun or, conversely, from inside heated surfaces, heat radiation through the glass-Venetian blind is substantially prevented.

In connection with the heat insulating properties of the glass against radiation, it is pointed out that in certain cases it is quite feasible to coat one face of the blind with a metallic coating such as silver or aluminium, whereby the slats may act as a perfect reflector and materially aid in keeping cool, in the summer, rooms and the like exposed directly to the sun. Even without this metallic coating, it has been found that the lroughened surface of the slats, when closed, effectively diffuses the direct rays of the sun so that a very soft lighting is the result; in other words, the ground glass surfaces let in day light but, lter out the glare and heat rays of the sun. Consequently, a room exposed to the direct rays of the sun is much more comfortable.

Another advantage of the acid-etched surfacev cfa the glass slats is that said surface is exceedingly smooth and. as a result, does not retain dust as readily as ordinary conventional slats; since the etched surface ofsaid glass slats is not porous, it is evident that dirt and dust does lus not penetrate said surface and can be easily removed. The net result is a slat that stays cleaner longer and can be restored more easily to its original cleanliness.

It must be understood that the forms of my invention herein shown and described are to betaken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes as to the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, and glass-like materials such as plastics be substituted, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a Venetian blind, translucent slats having a substantially flat body and a bead at one edge thereof, whereby said slats can be inclined in closed bead-to-bcdy position, supporting, raising and actuating means for said slats, and beadfitting Slat-aligning means removably retained by the beads of the slats and engaged by the slatraising means independently of the supporting means.

ALEXIS N'IHON. 

